William buchanan



W. BUCHANAN. I RAILRUAD SWITCH.

N1FETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGHAPHER. YVSNINGYGN. D. C.

@Errea WILLIAM BUCHANAN, orYoNKERs, NEWl vomi.

IMPROVEMENTIN RAlLRoAo-swlTcI-iss.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,535), dated August 1, 1876; applioationiled Junev 26, 1ero.

To all 4whom 'it may concern; Be 1t known that I, WILLIAM BUCHANAN',

' of Yonkers, in thecounty of Westchester and State ot' New York, have invented anew and 4 Improved Railway-Switch, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 represents a top view of my im-- A proved railway-switch and actuating mechanism. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are vertical transverse g sections ofthe saine ontheline cc, Fig. l, showing the parts in diferent positions. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on theline KK, Fi g2. 1. Fig. ti is a detail transverse section on the line UK, Fig. l; Fig. 7, a detailinner face view',

partly in section, of the mechanism applied to one of the switch-rails. Fig. 8 is a top view .of the switch-rail, showing the adjustable guard-plate folded back to expose the devices Y underneath.,

Similar letters of reference indicate corre:-

I spending parts in all the figures.

istie is a T-shaped leverA o r locking-bolt, and y also in a peculiar rail-guard, which prevents the unlocking of the switch after a train or car has come in line'with said guard, all as hereinafter more fullyk described.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter Af represents part of the main track 5 B part ofthe side track, and C the switch of a railway-track. D is the switch-moving lever, connected with the switch by a suitable rod or rods, a.. 'E is the locking and unlocking lever, pivotedpto Y a stationary support in line with the lever D,

and connected directly, or by suitable intermediate link or links b, with a sliding rod, F, that extends across the plane of the switch, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. This rod F connects by apin, d, with the end ot' a T- shaped bolt, G, as clearly shown, in such manner that by sliding the rod F in the direction of its length the bolt G will be vibrated on its pivot e, and brought into the several positions which are indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The bolt G is, by the pin e, pivoted to locked.

astationary support. The pin d passes through a slot of the bolt to permit the vibration thereot', in the ina-nner stated. The upright shank of lthe bolt G extends through a slot or recess,

f, which is formed in one of the ties or crossbars, g, of the-switch, theupp'ercross-bartof the T-bolt Gfbeing longer thansaid recess or slot, as indicated in Fig. 3. ,The upper crossbar of the T-bolt is rounded near the ends, as shown, to enable it to properly enter the recessf. When the bolt Gis inclined, as in Figs. 2 and 4, so that one ot' the endsof its upper cross-bar enters the recess f, and, if desired, also a slot, h, in a lower bed-piece, H, the tie g, and with it the entire switch, will be locked; butv when, by a movement of the lever E, the bolt G is brought into the position shown in Fig. S-that is, with its cross-bar entirely Vabove or clear ofthe tie fj-the switch will be free tomove. The pivots ot the levers D E being in line, and the connecting-rods of the proper length, so that the two levers D E will "also be in line with each other whenever the lswitch is properly locked, as in Figs. 2 and 4, their positionto that effect will always inform theswitch-tender that the switch is properly Whenever the levers are not in line the switch is not locked.

l Inoperating thev switch to bring it, for example, i'rom the position shown in'Figs. 1 and 2 into the position shown in Fig. 4, the lockking-lever Eis first moved to so swing the bolt G that the same will unlock the switch. This position` of lever E and bolt G is clearly shown in FigJ 3. rlhe lever D can now be used to move the switch into the desired position, aid thereupon the lever E is again moved to lock the switch in the new position, as shown in Fig. 4.

l have shown the bolt G in a vertical position; but it will operate with substantially the Asame eiIect in a horizontal, inclined, or reversed position. A

With the mechanism above described the niisplacing of a switch will be rendered nearly impossible. as the switch cannot be moved without iirst being unlocked, and as the relative positions of the levers D and E must always inform the attendant whether or not the switch is properly locked.

ASuitable stops i are formed on or in the way of the bolt G, to terminate the respective locking,r motions. These stops may, however, as well be placed in the way of the lever E, or of a projection ofthe rod F. The rod F of the locking` mechanism is also connected with a bell-crank,j, which has a projecting,r crank-pin, l, that enters a slotted lug, s, projecting from a sliding plate, I. This plate I is placed against the inner side ot' one ot' the switelr rails, and may extend beyond the end of said rail, along the contiguous rail of the track with which the switch is permanently connected. Whenever the lever E is moved to unlockA or lock the switch-sliding' motion is ini- Yparted t0 the plate I in the direction ot' the length of the switch-rail.

In place ofthe connecting mechanism Fj l,

other equivalent devices may be used to join the locking-lever E to the plate I, for sliding saidA plate by vibrating said lever.

The plate I is made with one or more horizontally-projecting pins, m, which extend into V-shaped slots or grooves n, that are formed in the vertical flange 0 of a plate, J. Said plate'J extends also aong the switch-rail, or beyond the same, as stated with reference to the plate I, and is hinged at pp to lugs that project from the cross-ties ot' the switch or from the sleepers of the track proper. 0n its hinges the plate J is capable to swing up land flown.A In its highest position it will be about flush with the top ot' the rail near which it is placed, as indicated in Figs. 3 and (i. In its lower position it will be so far below the treading-face ofthe rail as to be cleared by the flanges of the wheels, as indicated in Fig. 5. Now, the arrangement of the pins m and slots n is such that the plate J will be raised, as in Fig. (i, whenever the switch is unlocked, and lowered, as in Fin'. 5, whenever the switch is locked. The consequence is that said plate J will prevent the unlocking of the switch in case a train or car is on the same, as in that case the flanges ofthe wheels will prevent the elevation of the plate J, and thereby also the unlocking of the switch. The unlocking being prevented, it follows that the switch cannot be moved while a train is on the same, and thus, by said plated' and its connection with the unlocking-lever, I prevent the disastrous dividing ot' trains on switches which has frequently occurred. A negligent attendant cannot move my switch while a train is passing over or standing' on the same, and can therefore not cause the rear cars to go to the track B when the front cars ofthe same train have gone to the track A, or vice versa.

In case the plate J is placed along the stationary rail ot' the main track, the unlocking ct" and interference with the switch is prevented as soon as the train has arrived near the switch.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination ot' the pivoted bolt G, carrying a locking` cross-piece, with the slotted or recessed cross-bar g of a railway-switch, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the switch-lever l) with the locking-lever li, rod F, and T-shaped holt Gr, all arranged so that the relative positions of said levers will indicate the locked or unlocked condition ot' the switch, substantially' as specified.

3. In combination with the vihratingbolt G, which serves to lock the railwayswitch, the stops z' applied to limit the motion of said bolt, substantially as set forth.

4. The vertically-adjustable plate J, placed near the rail, 'and combined with the switchunlocking mechanism in such manner that said plate is raised whenever the switch is unlocked, substantially as herein shown and described.

v5. rIhc combination of the plate J, which has the V-shaped slots a, with the pins m and slidin` plate I, substantially as herein shown and described.

WILLIAM BUCHANAN.

Witnesses:

A. V. BRiEsEN, ERNEST C. WEBB. 

